MINNEAPOLIS, MN, August 20, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Leadership executive and speaker Enrique Velázquez is expanding his professional work through Velazquez Leadership Studio, a new platform focused on people-first leadership, organizational culture, speaking, and leadership development.

Velázquez brings 27 years of leadership experience to the venture, including 17 years in global high-technology operations and more than 10 years in leadership roles with the City of Minneapolis. His public-sector career has included leadership positions in regulatory services, community planning and economic development, and public works, where he has led teams through organizational change, complex operations, and difficult periods affecting both employees and communities.

The launch represents the next stage of Velázquez’s career as he moves into full-time speaking, writing, and leadership development while continuing to develop the frameworks and tools that have shaped his work.

Building a Leadership Platform Around People

Velazquez Leadership Studio was created to bring Velázquez’s experience to leaders and organizations looking for practical ways to strengthen their leadership and workplace culture.

His work centers on the belief that people should not be treated simply as resources used to achieve organizational goals. Instead, employees, clients, and communities should remain central to how organizations make decisions, build culture, and measure success.

Velázquez has developed a collection of original leadership frameworks, including his People-First Leadership Operating System and the See-Serve-Empower × Labor-Work-Action framework. His work also includes the Virtuous Cycle scorecard, which gives leaders a way to examine factors such as autonomy, competence, and satisfaction within their organizations.

“People-first leadership is not soft leadership,” said Velázquez. “It is about recognizing the people in front of us, understanding what they carry, and creating the conditions where they can contribute, grow, and do meaningful work.”

TEDxDuluth Talk Reaches More Than 1.3 Million Views

A significant milestone in Velázquez’s growing public platform came with his TEDxDuluth talk, What Happens When Leaders Put People First, delivered on February 6, 2026.

The talk has surpassed 1.45 million verified views, along with more than 57K likes and 1,200 comments and counting. Best Of TEDx ranked the presentation No. 9 on its global Top 50 Most-Watched Talks list for the first half of 2026.

Following the talk’s growth, Velázquez was named among “12 Amazing Speakers and Thought Leaders to Follow in 2026,” alongside Simon Sinek. Velázquez is scheduled to speak at Gateway Gathering and Pitch Fest in October 2026 and is preparing for his first international speaking engagement in the United Kingdom in 2027.

Forthcoming Book Explores the “Bent Key Principle”

Velázquez is currently writing his first book, "The Bent Key Principle: What Happens When Leaders Put People First."

The book explores the connection between personal experiences and leadership, examining how the experiences people carry can influence how they lead themselves, work with others, and respond to organizational challenges.

The “bent key” serves as a central idea in the book: a person does not need to be perfect to have value or make a meaningful contribution. Understanding what has shaped a person can provide a starting point for growth and better leadership.

“The existence of this book is evidence that a bent key can still turn,” said Velázquez.

New AI Coaching Initiative Under Development

Alongside his speaking and writing work, Velázquez is developing FaroAI, a coaching application built around his leadership frameworks and methodologies.

The initiative is being designed as a collection of coaching tools and insights intended to give leaders a practical way to reflect on their leadership, work through challenges, and apply people-first principles in their organizations.

FaroAI is part of a broader effort to make Velázquez’s leadership frameworks accessible beyond keynote presentations and traditional leadership development programs.

Continued Growth for Velazquez Leadership Studio

Through Velazquez Leadership Studio, Velázquez plans to continue expanding his speaking engagements, leadership frameworks, writing, and digital coaching tools while working with leaders and organizations across industries.

His long-term goal is to help organizations move toward sustainable leadership practices where people, rather than process, property, profit, or public image alone, remain central to how decisions are made and work gets done.

About Velazquez Leadership Studio

Velazquez Leadership Studio is the leadership, speaking, and writing practice founded by Enrique Velázquez. The studio focuses on people-first leadership, organizational culture, leadership development, and practical frameworks designed to help leaders understand and strengthen how they work with people. Velázquez is a leadership executive, speaker, and writer with 27 years of experience spanning global technology operations and public-sector leadership. His work is grounded in real-world experience leading teams, managing organizational change, and working with communities across complex environments. For more information, visit enriquevelazquez.com.

Media Contact

Enrique Velázquez
leadership@enriquevelazquez.com

HERNDON, VA, August 20, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Less than two months after opening its doors on June 1, 2026, suburban Virginia precision-medicine practice Iyer Health has released early observational tracking metrics from its newly launched Body for Life™ program. During its first eight weeks of operation, the physician-directed program identified 15 previously unrecognized cases of severe coronary artery disease, while its clinical team reported averting four imminent cardiac events and successfully resuscitating one patient from sudden cardiac arrest.

Created by Harvard-trained physician-scientist Ravi R. Iyer, MD, Body for Life integrates advanced biomarker analysis, biological-age assessments, regenerative medicine, and AI-assisted predictive risk modeling. The program operates as a direct-pay precision layer designed to complement standard, insurance-based primary care by identifying subclinical cardiovascular risk before symptomatic disease develops.

“The greatest victory in medicine is the heart attack that never happens,” said Dr. Iyer, founder of Iyer Health. “Direct-pay precision medicine allows us to price prevention transparently, using modern predictive tools to measure biological risk earlier and intervene before a health issue turns into a critical emergency.”

First 60-Day Program Tracking

Data gathered through internal program tracking from June 1 through July 31, 2026, revealed the following clinical observations among early program participants:

• 15 cases of previously unrecognized severe coronary artery disease identified
• 4 high-risk cardiac events reported averted through early detection and clinical intervention
• 1 sudden cardiac arrest successfully resuscitated on-site and transferred for emergency care
• 20 patients with severe vascular disease initiated on targeted risk-reduction protocols
• 30 patients enrolled in physician-supervised weight-management programs, recording 218.8 lbs of collective weight loss over a 30-day period
• 5 patients with prior sleep apnea diagnoses reassessed by treating clinicians as no longer requiring CPAP support
• 4 patients with gout achieved normalized uric acid levels during treatment

Foundation in Predictive Health

The core risk-forecasting methodology powering Body for Life stems from the COMANCHE Score (COMorbidity-Adjusted Non-Critical Health Evaluation), an outpatient risk-stratification algorithm originally developed by Dr. Iyer in 1995. Modeled on the ICU-based APACHE scoring framework, COMANCHE evaluates routine outpatient data points to forecast clinical deterioration before hospital admission is required.

In an early pilot conducted with HCA Columbia’s Reston Hospital from 1997 to 1998, an automated monitoring platform utilizing the COMANCHE algorithm tracked 13 high-risk congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. The cohort reduced hospital admissions from 124 combined visits in the year prior to enrollment down to 2 total admissions during the program year. Within Body for Life, this predictive framework has been updated to run on the Ayora Score AI engine from Ayora Health LLC, integrating multi-omic testing, advanced genomic markers, and continuous biomarker monitoring.

By offering these advanced diagnostics through a direct-pay model, Iyer Health aims to provide patients with dedicated longitudinal attention while addressing systemic limitations inherent to traditional fee-for-service reimbursement structures.

About Iyer Health

Iyer Health is an integrated healthcare ecosystem founded by Harvard-trained physician-scientist Ravi R. Iyer, MD, combining accessible insurance reimbursed primary care through The Iyer Clinic with physician-directed Direct Pay-precision longevity medicine through Body for Life a separate service of Nova Health Management & Research Group under a single operational roof. Its stated mission is to shift healthcare from single reactive treatment model towards a complementary binary model of a predictive prevention and lifelong vitality platform that is priced and delivered separately and co-equally with the reactive treatment insurance model. Ayora Score and COMANCHE algorithm are components of Ayora Health LLC’s Intelligent AI engine program. Body for Life™ — Your Best Life, Today. For more information, visit iyerhealth.com.

Disclaimer

The information in this release is provided for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor as a substitute for consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. Clinical outcomes and program figures cited are based on Iyer Health’s internal tracking and clinical observations and have not been independently audited, validated in a controlled clinical trial, or published in a peer-reviewed study. Statements regarding events believed to have been prevented or averted reflect the clinical team’s assessment and do not establish that such events would otherwise have occurred or that the Body for Life™ program caused any reported outcome. Individual results may vary, and no specific health outcome, prevention of disease, improvement in longevity, or extension of lifespan is guaranteed. References to predictive modeling, artificial intelligence, biomarkers, biological-age assessments, genomic or molecular testing, functional medicine, regenerative medicine, or other emerging approaches should not be interpreted as claims that these methods can predict, prevent, cure, or eliminate any disease with certainty. Historical program results, including those attributed to PREDICT, COMANCHE, or prior hospital initiatives, are presented as reported historical observations and should not be interpreted as evidence of current clinical efficacy. Patients should consult their treating healthcare professionals before making decisions about medical care, medications, CPAP use, weight management, alcohol or tobacco cessation, or other health interventions.

Media Contact

Iyer Health
layline.scaliem@iyerclinic.com

HOUSTON, TX, August 20, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Saturn Aerospace announces plans to develop its ground-based space launch system, a proposed alternative architecture designed to reduce the cost and preparation involved in transporting people and payloads beyond Earth. Led by CEO and owner Thomas Roller, the company is evaluating potential locations in Mexico and China as it prepares for the engineering, regulatory, and site development work required to move the concept forward.

The announcement comes as commercial interest in space continues to expand. A report from McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum estimated that the global space economy could grow from $630 billion in 2023 to $1.8 trillion by 2035. Meanwhile, PwC reported in 2025 that commercial revenues represented almost 80% of space-industry activity as of July 2024. 

Although the total price of a rocket launch varies considerably by vehicle, payload, and destination, University of Cambridge researchers calculated that sending cargo into low Earth orbit cost an average of $3,868 per kilogram in 2025. That figure, Roller believes, illustrates why reducing transportation costs remains important to the development of commercial activity in space.

Saturn Aerospace aims to participate in that growth by reimagining how spacecraft receive their initial acceleration. Instead of depending entirely on a conventional rocket launched vertically from the ground, the company’s concept would use rocket-powered sleds traveling through a vacuum tube constructed along a mountain slope. The system is designed to provide much of the required acceleration before onboard propulsion is activated, creating a foundation for potentially faster launch preparation and more frequent missions.

“The biggest opportunity is reducing the cost of reaching space enough to support activities that remain financially difficult today,” Roller said. “When transportation becomes more affordable and repeatable, companies can begin planning around sustained operations rather than treating every launch as an exceptional event.”

According to Roller, current plans describe a track approximately 20 miles long, with between 16 and 18 miles enclosed within a vacuum tube. The remaining section would gradually reintroduce air before the pod leaves the track. Roller envisions keeping acceleration near four times the force of gravity during passenger missions, which the company believes could make the architecture suitable for future space tourism and crew transportation.

Under the planned configuration, two rocket sleds would accelerate a separate pod sled carrying a capsule, cargo, and any additional propulsion required for the mission. The supporting sleds would separate in stages, allowing the pod to continue along its intended trajectory. Saturn Aerospace expects to reuse equipment wherever practical and plans to produce liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen using electricity generated partly through an onsite solar installation.

Preliminary facility plans include several payload categories. Smaller configurations are expected to carry between 1,000 and 5,000 pounds, while the largest are planned to carry as much as 20,000 pounds. This range is intended to accommodate missions involving CubeSats, larger satellites, scientific equipment, supplies, spaceplanes, and passenger capsules. The specifications will be refined through further engineering analysis and testing.

Saturn Aerospace sees launch economics as central to the system’s commercial potential. Greater affordability and frequency could support satellite deployment, microgravity research, orbital manufacturing and equipment delivery. Roller also identifies agriculture, weather forecasting, ocean monitoring, communications, medical research and environmental observation among the fields that could benefit from expanded satellite capacity.

“Space factories, hotels and resource projects require more than one successful launch,” Roller explained. “They require an affordable transportation network that can move equipment, supplies and people repeatedly. The market develops when access becomes dependable enough for businesses to build continuing operations around it.”

The company’s longer-term vision extends to commercial space stations, tourism, satellite servicing, debris removal and resource exploration. Saturn Aerospace believes its proposed architecture could help organizations consider projects that are difficult to pursue when transportation represents a substantial portion of their cost and operational planning.

Turning that vision into an operational facility will involve several development stages. According to Roller, Saturn Aerospace’s startup plans identify route surveys, geological assessments, environmental reviews, engineering studies, and regulatory documentation among the necessary early steps. He notes that more detailed design work for the tube, track, sleds, capsule interfaces, and supporting facilities would follow, alongside construction planning and progressively larger testing programs.

Location will be especially important because the system requires a long and relatively consistent mountain slope, access to roads and utilities, and a launch path that avoids populated areas. Roller says possible sites in Mexico and China have been examined, although the eventual location will require comprehensive geological, environmental, infrastructure, and regulatory evaluation.

The Federal Aviation Administration recorded its 1,000th licensed or permitted commercial space operation in August 2025, demonstrating the growing pace of commercial activity. Saturn Aerospace is entering that evolving landscape with a concept that seeks to expand the industry’s understanding of how future launch infrastructure could operate.

“Our goal is to create the transportation foundation that future commercial activity in space will need,” Roller said. “There is still substantial engineering and testing ahead, but developing a more accessible launch system could open opportunities across science, communications, manufacturing and human spaceflight.”

About Saturn Aerospace

Saturn Aerospace is on a mission to revolutionize space travel and exploration by providing a safer, faster, easier, and more affordable way to launch humans, materials, satellites, and spaceplanes into space. Its groundbreaking non-rocket Space Launch System (SLS) leverages proven technologies to provide a green, cost-effective alternative to traditional rocket launches. For more information, visit saturnspacelaunchsystem.com.

Media Contact

Thomas Roller
tar432@att.net

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, August 20, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- FP Trading, an international forex and CFD brokerage, has been granted a Category 5 licence (Licence No. 20200000467) by the UAE's Capital Market Authority (CMA), formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), marking a shift toward an onshore regulatory presence in the country. The licence permits the firm to carry out marketing, promotional, and client introduction activities within the UAE.

The company said the licence reflects a deliberate move away from serving the UAE market purely from abroad, toward operating through a locally regulated entity capable of promoting its services and introducing clients to its regulated brokerage entities in the country. FP Trading noted that trade execution and the custody of client funds will continue to be managed through its existing regulated entities in other jurisdictions, with the new UAE licence specifically covering marketing, promotion, and introduction-related functions.

The company said the timing of the announcement reflects the UAE's growing significance as a financial hub within the region. The country has, in recent years, become a destination for a wide range of brokers, fintech companies, and financial services providers seeking a more established, regulated footing from which to serve local and regional clients. Securing a CMA licence, the company said, positions it among firms taking that step deliberately, rather than continuing to operate solely through licences held elsewhere.

According to FP Trading, the practical benefits of the licence extend to both its client base and its network of regional partners. For clients, the new licence adds to an already-established framework of regulatory oversight spanning multiple jurisdictions, giving the firm a more direct regulatory relationship within the UAE itself. For partners operating in the region, including introducing brokers and affiliates, the shift to an onshore structure is expected to bring faster communication, closer day-to-day collaboration, and infrastructure that is more directly accessible to those working locally.

The company also framed the licence as part of a longer-term pattern rather than an isolated event, describing its regulatory approach as one built market by market, with each new licence adding to a broader international framework. The UAE licence, the company said, represents one of the more notable additions to that framework given the scale and pace of growth within the country's trading and financial services sector.

Speaking about the announcement, Narayan Joshi, General Manager of FP Trading, said, "Having this licence in place lets us work far more closely with our clients and partners in the UAE. It's a long-term commitment to the region, not a short-term move, and it fits into how we're building out our regulatory presence more broadly."

The company expects to continue building out its regulatory coverage across additional markets in the period ahead, with the UAE now serving as one of the central components of its regional strategy. This expansion will run alongside continued investment in its trading infrastructure, technology, and support functions, so that the pace of its regulatory growth is matched by the quality of service available to clients and partners alike. Further updates on the company's licensing activity and regional plans are expected in the coming months.

About FP Trading

FP Trading is an international forex and CFD brokerage providing access to a broad range of trading instruments through platforms including MT4, MT5, and cTrader. The company holds regulatory approvals across several jurisdictions and continues to expand its regulatory footprint as part of an ongoing international growth strategy. For more information, visit www.fptrading.com

Disclaimer

The information contained in this press release is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument, or a recommendation to engage in any trading activity. Trading forex and contracts for difference (CFDs) involves a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. You may lose some or all of your invested capital. The UAE Category 5 licence referred to in this release covers marketing, promotional, and client introduction activities and does not authorize FP Trading's UAE entity to execute trades or hold client funds. Trading services, trade execution, and custody of client funds are provided through the relevant regulated entities, subject to applicable laws, regulations, eligibility requirements, and jurisdictional restrictions. Products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions. Any forward-looking statements regarding FP Trading's future licensing, expansion, investment, or regional plans are based on current expectations and are subject to change. Regulatory approvals in one jurisdiction do not constitute endorsement of FP Trading, its products, or its services by any regulatory authority.

Regulatory and Protection Disclosures

FP Trading operates under a multi-jurisdictional regulatory model. Regional authorizations include oversight by the FSCA (South Africa) and FSC (Mauritius). FP Trading's UAE entity holds a Category 5 Licence issued by the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA/SCA) for marketing and client introduction only. Trade execution and custody are managed via separate international regulated entities.

Client funds are held in segregated accounts with Tier-1 banks. FP Trading is an official member of The Financial Commission (providing coverage up to €20,000 per client via its Compensation Fund) and maintains excess loss coverage under a $1,000,000 Lloyd's insurance policy. Trading forex and CFDs involves significant risk of capital loss.

Media Contact

Hasan Alabdallah
Head of Marketing, FP Trading
h.ali@fptrading.com
+971 52 599 8955

NASHVILLE, TN, August 20, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Tennessee Fertility Institute (TFI), a leading provider of comprehensive fertility care, today announced a new patient services alliance with the Vanderbilt Health Fertility Clinic (VH) designed to support patients throughout their fertility treatment journey while leveraging the specialized expertise and resources of both organizations.

Through the alliance, VH’s reproductive endocrinologist Ryan Heitmann, D.O., will perform egg retrievals and embryo transfers at TFI. VH will continue to oversee patient care coordination and cycle monitoring, while TFI will provide the laboratory, embryology, cryopreservation, operating room and financial services associated with treatment.

The alliance brings together VH’s clinical care and patient management with TFI’s advanced fertility infrastructure and laboratory services, providing patients with coordinated access to the resources needed throughout an IVF cycle.

“Demand for high-quality fertility care continues to grow, and this alliance allows us to expand access while bringing together the strengths of two highly respected fertility programs,” said Christopher Montville, M.D., Partner and Medical Director at TFI. “By combining Vanderbilt Health’s clinical expertise with TFI’s advanced laboratory and treatment capabilities, we can help more patients access the comprehensive care they need to build their families.”

TFI is part of The Prelude Network® (Prelude), the largest network of fertility clinics in North America. Its team of innovative and empathetic reproductive endocrinologists spend real time with each family to understand their goals and develop personalized treatment plans.

“Our priority is ensuring patients receive exceptional, seamless care throughout every stage of their fertility journey,” said Dr. Heitmann. “Working with TFI gives our patients access to advanced laboratory and treatment resources that meet rigorous quality and safety standards, while allowing our team to remain closely involved in their care from cycle planning and monitoring through treatment.”

Prelude is the clinical network of Inception Fertility™ (Inception), a family of fertility brands and the largest provider of fertility services in North America, and its physicians include innovators in fertility care who have pioneered some of today’s most advanced reproductive technologies, including vitrification, fertility preservation, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).

About Tennessee Fertility Institute

Tennessee Fertility Institute (TFI) specializes in the treatment of male and female infertility, as well as LGBTQ+ and single parent fertility. The clinic offers comprehensive fertility assessment and testing services, and its full range of comprehensive fertility services include in vitro fertilization (IVF, intrauterine insemination (IUI), fertility preservation (including egg freezing, sperm freezing, and oncofertility), third-party reproduction and more.

About The Prelude Network®

The Prelude Network® (Prelude), the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in North America, is the clinic network of Inception Fertility™ — a family of fertility brands that touches every part of the fertility journey, including diagnostics and treatment to financial accessibility.  Each clinic, as part of Prelude, is committed to delivering the highest level of personalized fertility care by the nation's leading reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists and practitioners by focusing on an excellence in science, medicine and the patient experience.  The growing Prelude Network has more than 90 total locations nationwide, offering a wide range of fertility services including egg freezing, IVF, genetic testing, LGBTQ+ fertility options, and egg/embryo storage, among others. Those clinics within Prelude include Aspire Fertility Austin (Texas); Aspire Fertility Dallas (Texas);  Aspire Fertility San Antonio (Texas); Aspire Fertility Houston (Texas); Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago (Illinois); Center for Reproductive Medicine (Florida); Indiana Fertility Institute (Indiana);  IVFMD (Florida); Main Line Fertility (Pennsylvania);  NYU Langone Fertility Center (New York); NYU Langone RSNY (New York); Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine (Canada); Pacific Fertility Center (California); Regional Fertility Program (Canada); Reproductive Biology Associates (Georgia); Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey (New Jersey); Tennessee Fertility Institute (Tennessee), and The Reproductive Medicine Group (Florida).

About Inception Fertility™

Inception Fertility™ (Inception) is a family of fertility brands committed to helping patients build their own families. Built by patients for patients, Inception's purpose is to achieve the highest bar in experience, science and medicine in an effort to enhance each patient's experience and achieve better outcomes. Inception's medical experts are leading pioneers in fertility care. Our doctors are some of the first to use breakthrough assisted reproductive technologies (ART) — including in vitro fertilization (IVF), preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and fertility preservation services — and they continue to lead the industry by building on these technologies by through development, research and thought leadership. Through its growing family of national organizations — which includes The Prelude Network®, the fastest-growing network of fertility clinics and largest provider of comprehensive fertility services in North America; MyEggBank®, one of the largest frozen donor egg banks in North America; BUNDL Fertility™, a multi-cycle fertility service bundling program; HavenCryo™, a long-term reproductive preservation and storage solution provider and NutraBloom®, a premium lifestyle brand with expertly formulated supplements to support individuals' health and wellness goals for preconception — Inception is working to deliver on its promise to push the envelope of what is possible for exceeding patient expectations.

Media Contact

Mia Humphreys
MHumphreys@kruppagency.com
+1 239-297-6592

MILAN, Italy, August 20, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Soccerment, a leading AI-native Sport Tech company leveraging technology to enable any athlete, coach or club to unleash their full potential, today launched SICS Atlas, an AI-native intelligence platform for scouting and match analysis, timed to the opening weekend of Europe's major football leagues.

SICS Atlas is built for professional football organizations of any size — top-flight clubs, youth academies, scouting agencies and sports media — and is designed to replace the patchwork of separate tools most analysis departments still work across. Rather than treating video, event data, tracking data and physical data as separate sources, Atlas connects them in one environment, so a tactical question and the footage that answers it live in the same place.

The platform features innovative areas of work, built on proprietary data from more than 310 competitions, more than 6,500 new matches with video added each month, and over 90,000 players carrying 100-plus metrics each.

• A complete data spectrum: Event, video, physical and positional data are combined into football-specific insights, rather than held in separate systems that analysts reconcile by hand.
• One suite instead of many tools: Atlas is designed to replace the multiple disconnected products most analysis departments license today, which Soccerment says reduces cost and improves collaboration between scouting, analysis and coaching staff.
• Complexity made simple: Large-scale, multi-layer football data is presented through an interface built for speed, so that a question and the evidence behind it are a few clicks apart rather than a multi-day exercise.
• AI-native, not AI-added: Agentic AI is built into the platform rather than layered on top, automating analysis and routine workflow steps — building shortlists, assembling clip playlists, scheduling reports.
• Proprietary data at scale: More than 310 competitions with proprietary data, over 6,500 new matches with video added each month, 90,000-plus players carrying 100-plus metrics each, and tracking data across 50 competitions.
• Priced for organizations of any size: Soccerment is positioning Atlas to be accessible to youth academies, scouting agencies and media as well as top-flight clubs.

"Analysts have never been short of data; they have been short of time. What we set out to build with SICS Atlas is a digital space where the video, the numbers and the tactical picture answer to the same question, so the work of finding a player or preparing an opponent takes few seconds instead of hours of work. The agentic AI is equipped to immediately convey ready to use reports customized according to any specific need," said Aldo Comi, Soccerment CEO.

SICS Atlas is the first release in the SICS+ suite, with additional products scheduled over the coming months.

Demos and further information on SICS Atlas are available at soccerment.com/products/sics-plus/atlas.

About Soccerment

Soccerment Group is a sport tech company dedicated to football intelligence. Born in Italy and operating globally, the company is now present in more than 50 countries. Soccerment combines data intelligence, wearable technology and AI-powered solutions with the aim of elevating team and athlete performance while widening scouting visibility. Accelerated by the acquisition and integration of SICS in 2025, the company is working to redefine the global market for match analysis and scouting. Its offer combines SICS+, an AI-powered analytics suite for match analysis and scouting, and XSEED Tech, a family of smart wearable devices that capture football-specific performance data at scale.

For more information, visit soccerment.com.

Media Contact

Emanuele Borini
CMO, Soccerment
emanuele.borini@soccerment.com
+39 366 623 6149

HOUSTON, TX, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Nodestream, a Blockware division, today announced the launch of the Nodestream Marketplace, a verified over-the-counter (OTC) venue for enterprise GPUs and HPC hardware. Nodestream estimates the mid-market enterprise compute opportunity — non-hyperscaler AI infrastructure spend outside the top cloud providers — at $25–40 billion annually. This market still relies heavily on broker relationships, lacks pricing transparency, and moves quickly as available inventory is often committed before buyers can act.

Built on Blockware's record of more than 400,000 machines deployed and hundreds of megawatts energized since 2017, the marketplace is the first public step toward a full-stack NeoCloud. Where most NeoClouds, the GPU-specialized providers that have grown up alongside the hyperscalers, lease the capacity they run on, Nodestream plans to own the hardware, colocation, power and land underneath its compute.

Nodestream is led by Chief Executive Officer Megan Brooks-Anderson, former Chief Operating Officer of Riot Platforms (NASDAQ: RIOT). The marketplace is the online expansion of an established OTC desk that has closed $330 million in hardware deals globally. 

Nodestream is an authorized reseller for Supermicro, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Dell Technologies, Lenovo, and TD Synnex, sourcing equipment through OEM channels alongside its verified secondary-market inventory. To access the marketplace, Nodestream requires counterparties to pass tiered Know-Your-Business (KYB)/Anti-money laundering (AML), export-control and proof-of-funds checks, and validates hardware provenance down to serial numbers.

“AI is constrained by hardware, colocation, power and land. Whoever sits at the center of all four becomes infrastructure the rest of the industry depends on,” said Brooks-Anderson. “We're starting with the hardware: an exchange with real inventory, real prices and verified counterparties. The broker market is unpredictable and lacks the fast, built-in KYB we run on every deal. By vetting every supplier and buyer upfront, we de-risk these complex transactions for everyone involved. From there, we power the infrastructure itself — connecting clients directly to the power, land and compute that make AI possible.”

What buyers can do today

• Browse verified HPC inventory: Live OTC listings across the current NVIDIA stack — HGX B300 NVL8 and B200 systems, H100 SXM5 and A100 SXM — each with per-unit pricing, available quantity, seller location and lead time. Buyers filter by manufacturer, chipset or condition to get straight to hardware that matches their build.
• Full technical specs on verified listings: Each listing carries complete specifications — GPU generation, CPU configuration, memory and networking — alongside minimum order, deposit terms, warranty and lead time. Transactions are secured via deposit, with both crypto and wire transfer accepted.
• Deal-desk sourcing for anything unlisted: Buyers spec exactly what they need — GPU model, server count, chassis and OEM preference, networking fabric, target price — and the Nodestream deal desk sources the closest match from its vetted supplier network, with a live quote summary tracking the configuration as it's built.
• GPU-as-a-Service proposals for hosted compute: For teams not ready to own hardware or who need to burst to meet demand, buyers describe a workload — training, fine-tuning or inference — with capacity and start date, and receive a scoped GPUaaS proposal with rate, term, region and onboarding timeline.

“We built the marketplace around one idea: a client should go from browsing verified inventory to a structured quote and deposit in minutes, not weeks,” said Justin Carlson, Chief Product Officer. “Real prices, real quantities, real lead times on every listing, before a client ever talks to anyone. When a client needs something that isn't listed, our deal desk sources it from a vetted supplier network, the same vetting that keeps unverified equipment and misrepresented deals out of every transaction. Saving all parties time and money. Through 2027, we're rolling out turnkey HPC sales for GPUs already racked in data centers, plus automated sourcing tools built on the same rails, so a client can describe a build and get back priced, verified options without making a single call."

The road to the NeoCloud

The marketplace is the front door to a platform spanning all three of Nodestream's business lines. Hardware brokerage is live today. GPU-as-a-Service follows on reserved NVIDIA GB300 and B300 capacity — dedicated clusters, not shared cloud — with GPU-backed financing available at close. Power and land anchor the rest: roughly 23,000 acres of deeded land across the U.S. with grid interconnection on site, plus power development and colocation capacity under development nationwide. 

The Nodestream Marketplace is live now at app.nodestream.ai. Buyers, sellers and partners can reach the deal desk through the app or sales@nodestream.ai.

About Nodestream

Nodestream, a Blockware company, is the marketplace, infrastructure and settlement layer for sovereign AI compute — hardware, GPUs, power and land. Nodestream turns compute, power and land into liquid, investable, verified assets across three business lines: HPC hardware brokerage, GPU-as-a-Service, and power and land development. Learn more at nodestream.ai.

About Blockware

Founded in 2017, Blockware Solutions is a U.S. leader in high-performance computing infrastructure, with more than 400,000 machines deployed and hundreds of megawatts energized across U.S. data centers. Blockware provides HPC rentals, GPU servers and high-density colocation across the United States and Europe. For more information, visit blockwaresolutions.com.

Media Contact

Nodestream Deal Desk & Communications
pr@nodestream.ai

DENVER, CO, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Founded by trial lawyers Mark Callender and Josh Bowlin, Callender Bowlin (CB Trial) is led by attorneys with more than four decades of combined litigation experience across commercial disputes, health care advocacy, first-party insurance claims, personal injury, and trial work in federal and district courts.

“We both spent much of our early careers at large law firms, and that allows us to provide our clients with sophisticated, big-firm-caliber service and expertise,” says Callender, founding partner at CB Trial. “As a boutique trial firm, our streamlined structure allows us to stay steadfastly focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for clients. Our size also allows us to take a more cost-effective approach than you would find at our larger counterparts.”

Based in Houston, Texas, with additional offices in Denver, Colorado, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, CB Trial represents mid- to large-sized businesses and high net worth clients in matters involving complex commercial litigation and health care advocacy, while also representing individuals in first-party insurance claims and personal injury matters with experience on both the plaintiff and defense sides.

While its practice has roots in Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico, CB Trial’s significant trial experience has made the firm a sought-after litigation partner for clients throughout the country.

CB Trial’s advocacy-first approach extends beyond traditional commercial litigation and personal injury. The firm’s attorneys represent policyholders in first-party insurance disputes, often involving fire, water, hail, and storm damage, where insurers often delay, underpay, or deny legitimate claims.

Additionally, the team often represents health care providers in remote and rural communities who are forced to fight large insurers for payments owed to them, threatening the financial stability of essential community health care services.

“Having been raised in small Texas towns by families who valued hard work, we built this firm on those same principles and core pillars,” says Bowlin, founding partner. “We value integrity, hard work, and grit. While we operate as a boutique practice, our commitment to outworking the opposition is a cornerstone of our success — and it is a quality our clients deeply respect.”

The firm’s hardworking culture is defined by more than simply returning phone calls and keeping clients updated on their cases; the CB Trial team engages clients as active participants in case strategy and planning.

“We know the law, but our clients have lived and experienced their cases,” says Bowlin. “When you spend time listening to what your clients have to say, it makes you a more effective and passionate advocate. Clients often have fantastic ideas about strategy that might otherwise remain outside the view of most attorneys. If you’re not collaborating with your clients, you’re shortchanging them.”

That collaborative approach becomes especially valuable when a case heads to trial.

Proven Trial Expertise

“There are many attorneys who call themselves trial lawyers, even though they don’t actually try cases,” says Callender. “They settle for the best deal they think they can get. The truth is, you’re never going to get the best outcome for your client unless the other side knows that you’re willing to take it to trial. The other side’s posture often changes when they realize they’re in for a fight.”

Litigation is a burdensome process, and many clients view settlement as a simple exit strategy. However, settling too early can be more expensive than the litigation itself. What these clients may fail to appreciate is the greater expense of settling a lawsuit too early. Callender and Bowlin leverage more than 40 years of experience in federal and district courtrooms nationwide to identify when a trial is the necessary and best path forward. In many instances, their deep expertise has proven that taking a case to verdict is the most effective way to protect a client’s interests.

“We have a reputation for being very well prepared for trial and for fighting these cases to the very end,” Callender says. “We’ve obtained many favorable results at trial and often reach settlements on the courthouse steps.”

About Callender Bowlin

Callender Bowlin is a Houston-based boutique litigation law firm with additional offices in Denver and Albuquerque. The firm represents individuals, businesses, healthcare organizations and policyholders in commercial litigation, healthcare disputes, first-party insurance claims and other complex matters. Founded on the principles of values, integrity and grit, Callender Bowlin provides courtroom-tested advocacy to clients whose businesses, property and interests are at stake. For more information, visit www.cbtrial.com.

Media Contact

Ashley Kearney
ashley@cbtrial.com

ROCKLAND, MA, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- A new era in financial services is being shaped by evolving consumer expectations and rapid technological innovation. Which model will dominate? National banks that offer scale, fintech companies that offer speed, or digital platforms that offer convenience? Regulated by the National Credit Union Association, Arise Financial, formerly known as Rockland Federal Credit Union, is redefining the modern credit union model through a combination of advanced technology, personalized service, and a member-first approach.

Headquartered in southeastern Massachusetts, the 104-year-old full-service financial institution offers the products, services, and digital capabilities consumers expect from a traditional bank, but with a member-first structure designed to keep costs lower and value higher — an important distinction now that the cost of living is making it harder for families to buy their first home, save for their children’s education, and invest for the future.

Unlike traditional banks, which are owned by shareholders, credit unions are owned by their members, each of whom has a voice in the institution’s direction. Earnings are reinvested into the organization and returned to members through lower fees, competitive rates, and enhanced services — a structure designed to prioritize long-term financial well-being over quarterly profits. 

“Credit unions are uniquely positioned to provide the scale, speed, and convenience consumers demand, but with an added intangible — trust,” says Kristin VanBeek, CEO and President of Arise Financial. 

Hardworking Hospitality

“In addition to saving members money, we also cultivate personal relationships regardless of the size of someone’s account,” VanBeek said. “What sets credit unions apart is hospitality. We are neighbors, handling the most important things in our members’ lives throughout every stage of life.”

This philosophy is influenced in part by the concept of “unreasonable hospitality,” popularized by restaurateur Will Guidara in his bestselling book “Unreasonable Hospitality.” The idea — creating meaningful, memorable experiences through intentional service and human connection — closely aligns with Arise Financial’s approach to banking, where success is measured not simply by transactions, but by the relationships built, the trust earned over time, and the ability to make members feel genuinely supported at every stage of life. For Arise Financial, technology is not replacing relationships — it is enhancing the member experience and making personalized banking more accessible and seamless.

Arise Financial members enjoy frictionless service. Every personal interaction is an opportunity to earn trust, solve a problem, and create a better experience. No question is too small for the Arise Financial team. 

When there are obstacles, the solution-oriented staff roll up their sleeves to explore options. “We look for ways to say ‘yes’ whenever possible,” VanBeek said. “When we can’t, we take time to help members map out a path forward to reach their goals.”

The high-touch service goes hand in hand with the use of big-bank technology. With a major investment in innovation, Arise Financial has replaced outdated legacy systems with modern infrastructure. The digital transformation is setting tomorrow’s gold standard for seamless systems that improve forward-facing services as well as back-office processes, reflecting Arise Financial’s vision for a more modern, connected credit union experience.

The result is a more seamless experience for members, with fewer unnecessary steps and greater flexibility in how they interact with the credit union. Even onboarding new members is simpler and less time-consuming. Modernization of back-office processes improves data quality, strengthens controls, and aids compliance.

“We’re proud of these upgrades, but we will never sacrifice the high-touch service credit unions are known for,” VanBeek said. “We take advantage of cutting-edge innovations, such as AI, to meet members’ needs and give our employees more powerful tools to serve members.”

National Reach

Federally chartered with $3.7 billion in assets, Arise Financial challenges outdated assumptions about what a credit union can be. Its combination of scale, technology, and personalized service reflects how credit unions are evolving to meet today’s consumer expectations. 

“Our member-owners appreciate the value of one-on-one interactions with experienced staff who know them by name and understand the opportunities and challenges facing local families and businesses,” VanBeek said. “They have direct access to decision-makers who are empowered to make loans with flexibility and far less unnecessary red tape.”

Businesses with remote workforces and operations across multiple states have access to even more sophisticated tools. Arise Financial’s modernized online and mobile banking platform features an enhanced bill pay interface and customizable dashboards that allow users to view payment due dates, account details, and key financial information from a single screen. Members moving between job sites, offices, and home environments benefit from a seamless experience across desktop and mobile platforms.

“Today’s businesses have a new definition of ‘community,’ and credit unions have always understood the importance of supporting strong, connected communities,” VanBeek said.

About Arise Financial

Arise Federal Credit Union, doing business as Arise Financial, is a federally insured, member-owned financial cooperative founded in 1922. Headquartered in Rockland, Massachusetts, the $3.7 billion credit union serves more than 220,000 members throughout Massachusetts and beyond. For more than a century, Arise Financial has helped individuals, families, and businesses achieve their financial goals through trusted guidance, competitive products, and convenient banking solutions. Today, Arise Financial continues that legacy by combining personalized service with modern technology to make banking simpler, smarter, and more accessible. Committed to strengthening the financial well-being of its members and the communities it serves, Arise Financial provides the tools, expertise, and support people need to navigate every stage of life with confidence. For more information, visit arisefi.org.

Media Contact

Samantha Apostolakes
sapostolakes@arisefi.org

HACKENSACK, NJ, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- 27 former patients of New Jersey physician Ritesh Kalra filed a civil lawsuit (Cause No: BER-L-007809-26) on Monday, August 17, 2026, alleging a years-long pattern of sexual abuse, exploitation, and other misconduct during medical appointments.  

The lawsuit alleges that Kalra used his control over patients’ prescription medications as leverage, including by lowering medication doses after some patients allegedly resisted sexual advances.

The complaint, filed by Andreozzi and Foote in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, names Ritesh Kalra, the doctor himself, Ritesh Kalra, MD, LLC, a limited liability company, and ten unidentified responsible individuals as defendants. The 27 plaintiffs include 24 women and three men. 

According to the lawsuit, Kalra worked as an internist and provided primary care and pain-management services. He operated many offices throughout Bergen and Hudson County, including but not limited to Fairlawn, Jersey City, and Secaucus. 

“The complaint alleges that Kalra sexually exploited patients who depended on him for medical care and, in some instances, used control over their prescription medication as a means of coercion or retaliation,” said Nathaniel Foote, Partner at Andreozzi + Foote. “Our clients are seeking accountability through the civil justice system, and we intend to pursue these claims on their behalf.

Kalra is awaiting trial on a separate 58-count federal indictment that includes 36 counts of unlawful distribution of controlled substances, one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, and 21 counts of health care fraud. According to federal court records, between January 2019 and February 2025, Kalra issued approximately 31,289 oxycodone prescriptions to more than 1,500 patients. The civil complaint states that the federal investigation also found that Kalra demanded sexual favors from patients to obtain prescriptions.

The New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners also suspended Kalra’s medical license and CDS (Controlled Dangerous Substances) registration in August 2025, citing allegations of indiscriminate prescribing and prescribing CDS without a legitimate medical purpose. 

The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages and have demanded a jury trial.

About Andreozzi + Foote

Andreozzi + Foote is one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse law firms with a history of representing survivors in cases against large and powerful organizations including Penn State University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Catholic Church. The trauma-informed sexual abuse lawyers at Andreozzi + Foote are committed to obtaining life-changing results for victims and their families. For more information, visit www.victimscivilattorneys.com.

Media Contact

Andreozzi + Foote
marias@vca.law
+1 717-807-5808

SINGAPORE, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Headline consumer price inflation eases to 3.4% year-on-year in the Bureau of Labor Statistic's latest official CPI release, a second consecutive monthly decline. The reading comes down from a recent peak of 3.5% and matches analyst expectations, and Davis Park Management reads it as disinflation that is real but incomplete. Wage pressures slow to their weakest annual rate of increase in five years, whilst core inflation moderates to 2.5% on the same basis. The energy index nonetheless carries an annual gain of 14.7%.

The month-on-month advance registers just 0.1%, following a 0.4% contraction over the preceding month, and its composition matters more than its level. Shelter accounts for nearly two-thirds of that all-items increase despite rising only 0.1% on the month. The contribution reflects category weight within the basket rather than accelerating housing costs, and owners’ equivalent rent climbs 0.3% over the same month.

Energy prices decline 1.5% over the month, following a 5.7% decrease across the preceding period, yet the annual comparison remains sharply positive. Pump prices remain 24.6% higher on that basis. Research on the conflict’s pass-through projects headline personal consumption expenditure inflation rising 1.7 percentage points at an annualised rate over a quarter of Strait of Hormuz closure. Roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and natural gas supply remains suspended, so monthly declines reflect demand adjustment rather than any easing of the structural constraint.

Core prices rise 0.2% on the month after holding flat over the preceding period, with the annual rate easing to 2.5% from 2.6%. That returns the measure to levels last recorded before the onset of the Iran conflict. Speaking in his capacity as Director of Private Equity at Davis Park Management Pte. Ltd., Michael Sheldon treats the release as a test of process rather than a trigger for action, holding that “a print that confirms the direction of travel is not the same as a print that changes the framework.” Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, characterises the in-line reading as sustaining the case against further tightening, though headline inflation persists 1.4 percentage points above the 2% target.

Fixed income markets enter the most recent Federal Reserve meeting with pricing that reflects genuine uncertainty about the next move. Futures contracts assign roughly a one-third probability to an increase at that meeting, having earlier priced an 82% likelihood at the next scheduled gathering. That figure falls to 42% once the latest release lands, as contained core inflation meets deteriorating employment data. Quotes now imply the effective rate climbs roughly 30 basis points to around 4% by the close of the year, whilst Morgan Stanley analysts project a hold and then reductions in the first half of the following year.

The dual mandate assigned by Congress encompasses maximum employment and price stability, with the latter defined as 2% annual inflation. The Federal Open Market Committee measures that target on the personal consumption expenditures index. Fed Governor Lisa Cook identifies inflation risks as her primary concern before the meeting, noting that the index has risen 3.7% on an annual basis, 1.7 percentage points above target. Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson remarks the following day that reconsidering the stance could be warranted should inflation fail to moderate.

Employment conditions sharpen the assessment, with the most recent payroll data recording 23,000 job losses against a forecast of 95,000 gains. The shortfall shifts the balance of evidence towards restraint rather than further tightening. Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management, treats the two releases together as grounds for lower expectations of an increase at the next meeting, subject to a similarly subdued reading the month after. The Committee votes 9 to 3 to hold the target range at 3.5% to 3.75%, each dissenting vote favouring a rise.

Forecasts point to gradual moderation through the second half of the year, though the pace and distribution vary considerably across regions. The International Monetary Fund projects headline inflation at 4.7% before a decline to 3.9% the following year. Conditions of this kind warrant measured review rather than repositioning on a single reading, and Davis Park Management reads the third quarter as a natural checkpoint for frameworks set before the conflict reshaped energy market assumptions. Sheldon points to selective deployment under written entry criteria and return points fixed in advance as the frame for assessing inflation-adjusted return expectations, observing that “the discipline that matters is agreeing the return point before the data arrives, never afterwards.”

About Davis Park Management

Founded in 2012, Davis Park Management Pte. Ltd. (UEN: 201201582D) is a Singapore capital management firm organised around what each pool of funds must support: what must stay available, what can remain committed, and what must hold together through change. Six services span role mapping, reserve and access, long-horizon commitment, recurring distribution, selective deployment, and continuity through change. Its method rests on written constraints, defined decision authority, and a return point fixed in advance, revisited whenever scale, ownership, or jurisdiction shifts. It serves private clients, foundations, institutional investors, and adviser-led relationships, and evaluates wrappers that could broaden participation under appropriate gating. For more information, visit davispm.com.

Media Contact

c.jun@davispm.com

NEW YORK, NY, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- TravelX, the AI-native pioneer in post-booking revenue management, announced that Kaszek, Latin America's leading venture capital firm, made a substantial investment in its platform, bringing the company's total funding to $45 million.

The investment marks Kaszek's first foray into the aviation technology space, reflecting its conviction that artificial intelligence is creating an entirely new category of revenue management solutions, one capable of transforming airline inventory from a static asset into dynamic, continuously optimized inventory. TravelX believes this shift represents a major boon to the global airline travel industry that will help it cross the trillion-dollar revenue threshold.

"Artificial intelligence is reshaping every major industry, and we believe aviation is another high-potential opportunity market to be redefined," said Nicolas Berman, partner at Kaszek. "TravelX isn't simply improving an existing process; its AI-native platform has the potential to fundamentally change how airlines monetize inventory, optimize their networks, and serve travelers. We are excited to partner with the TravelX team as they build what we believe can become a defining technology company in global aviation."

With the backing of Kaszek, TravelX has completed a Series A financing round, with participation from Thayer Ventures, which will accelerate product innovation, expand TravelX's AI platform, strengthen its global commercial presence, and support the company's mission to become the intelligence layer powering the next generation of airline revenue management.

"For decades, airlines have optimized the moment a ticket is sold. We have proven there are huge, untapped revenue opportunities that begin after the booking," said Juan Pablo Lafosse, CEO of TravelX. "Every day, millions of airline seats become more or less valuable as demand, operations, and customer circumstances evolve. AI allows airlines to respond to those changes continuously, transforming static inventory into a dynamic commercial asset. We're proud that Kaszek shares this vision and excited to build the future of airline commerce together."

For decades, airline inventory has remained largely static once a ticket is issued, limiting an airline's ability to respond to changing demand, operational disruptions, and evolving customer needs. Unlike traditional revenue management systems that rely primarily on forecasting demand before a ticket is sold, TravelX continuously analyzes real-time operational conditions, customer behavior, network demand, and commercial opportunities after booking. The platform enables airlines to make intelligent inventory decisions throughout the customer journey, maximizing profitability while improving operational efficiency and passenger satisfaction.

Today, TravelX partners with some of the world's most innovative airlines, including Viva, Volaris, AirAsia, WestJet, GOL, Scoot and Cebu Pacific, with more global airline deployments currently underway.

About TravelX

TravelX is the AI-native pioneer in post-booking revenue management. Its machine learning models transform static bookings into dynamic, real-time inventory, giving airlines new revenue streams and giving passengers greater flexibility. For more information, visit travelx.com.

About Kaszek

Kaszek is the leading venture capital firm in LATAM, partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to build lasting, high-impact technology-based companies. Founded in 2011 by Hernán Kazah, co-founder of MercadoLibre, and Nicolás Szekasy, MercadoLibre's former CFO, Kaszek has raised more than $3 billion dollars across nine funds and backed more than 130 technology companies, including Nubank, QuintoAndar, Kavak, Creditas, Bitso, Wellhub, and Nuvemshop. For more information, visit kaszek.com.

Media Contact

TravelX
henry.obyrne@travelx.io

Kaszek
pr@kaszek.co

MIAMI, FL, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- HelloGov AI, Inc. ("HelloGov") and Document Advisor, Inc. ("iVisa") today announced the completion of their merger, forming the world's largest international AI-powered consumer passport and visa platform. The combined company — which officially merged on July 1, 2026 — operates under the HelloGov brand, and is expected to process more than 1.5 million passport and visa applications annually.

The transaction strategically combined two complementary businesses that already served the same customer at different stages of international travel planning. iVisa provides visa and travel-authorization services across more than 100 destinations, supported by the largest continuously maintained database of global visa requirements. HelloGov provides AI-assisted U.S. passport services, specialist application review and access to a marketplace of passport couriers registered with the U.S. Department of State.

The combined company expects the merger to generate value across three key areas. First, a complementary product offering that allows a single platform to serve the full documentation requirement for an international trip. Second, expanded distribution through HelloGov's U.S. channel partnerships. Third, a shared technology and compliance infrastructure, in which HelloGov's AI-assisted application review is extended across a broader document set.

"Government documentation remains one of the biggest unsolved problems from a usability point of view," said Adam Boalt, co-founder of HelloGov. "The government agencies that process these applications do so with considerable reliability at enormous scale. What's never existed at scale is the usability layer around it that makes the process more convenient: the guidance, the error-checking, the support for complex cases, the largest network of hand-carry couriers for passport and visa applications, all registered with the U.S Department of State. Individually, we built passport and visa solutions that make the process more convenient for the end consumer. Combined, we intend to build the solution for every government document a citizen and business needs."

"iVisa has operated independently since 2013, serving millions of travelers in that time," said David Perez, co-founder of iVisa. "Before the merger, we asked one question: would we be stronger together? The answer was very clear, yes. We share the same vision and mission of making it easier for people to get the documents they need through the use of technology, AI and human support. We’re incredibly excited that this merger accelerates our shared vision of becoming the all-in-one platform for government applications."

"Together, we're building a network of global commercial partners that puts convenient government applications right where people are already thinking about applying, like at the airport before a flight or in their pre-check app or where they obtain their passport photo," said Europe-based Sergio Merino, co-founder of iVisa. "And what really excites us now is taking it further, building the same kind of partnerships around the world for every document a person or a business needs."

 "The strategic case for the merger was about revenue synergies, reducing overhead and operating leverage,” said Brian LaBasco, co-founder of HelloGov. “Both businesses were acquiring and servicing the same customer separately. Combined, we can optimize and enhance the entire customer journey while also upgrading the experience with AI support, real-time tracking and human assistance. Looking forward, we’re going to use our combined decades of experience in the GovTech space to launch services for business formation and vehicle registration too.”

HelloGov has plans to extend the platform to additional government document categories, including the recently launched business formation services and vehicle and tag and title services launching later in the year.

About HelloGov

HelloGov AI, Inc. is an AI-powered consumer and business platform for government documentation. Following its merger with iVisa, the company combines thirteen years of global visa infrastructure with an AI-assisted passport application platform across more than 100 destinations and 14 languages. HelloGov's services will be available to customers globally through retail partnerships and travel memberships. Every application receives specialist review. HelloGov is a private company registered with the U.S. Department of State as a hand-carry passport courier, and it operates a marketplace of independent registered couriers. For more information, visit hellogov.com.

Disclaimer

HelloGov AI, Inc. ("HelloGov") and its subsidiary iVisa are private commercial entities. HelloGov is not a government agency, is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State, and is not affiliated with any foreign government or embassy. HelloGov provides third-party application preparation, AI-assisted review, and courier coordination services for an additional fee. Registration as a hand-carry passport courier with the U.S. Department of State allows submission and pick-up of applications at regional agencies on behalf of clients; it does not constitute government endorsement, authorization to issue government documents, or a guarantee of application approval or processing times. Government application forms and official information are available free of charge directly from official government portals (e.g., travel.state.gov). Third-party service fees are separate from non-refundable government processing fees. Forward-looking statements regarding future product launches, partnerships, and application volume expectations are based on current projections and subject to operational change.

Media Contact

Paula Voto Bernales
pr@hellogov.com

NEW YORK, NY, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- For all the talk of efficiency and money invested in AI programs, work is still getting in the way of work. And ironically, AI has a lot to do with it. That’s the finding of a field study of 680 processes at 128 companies across 10 sector groups, conducted by Ace Workflow. At six of those companies, every step of every process was timed: 187 processes, 2,546 hours a week of ordinary work, stated by the people who do it.

The State of Work report shows the leaks predominate in five key areas: reporting, onboarding, invoicing and billing, approvals, and CRM cleanup.

What Keeps Work From Working?

Two-thirds of recoverable time comes in the top 10% of projects, with nearly half coming in the top 5%. That’s potentially good news for companies looking to concentrate correction efforts, with an important exception: 13.4% of processes run under an hour a week, so they stay manual.

Surprisingly, AI creates a manual problem because there’s too much of it. The waste isn't inside the software. It's in the gaps between all the platforms. The media for timed companies is 52 different tools in total, while the average process touches 2.9 tools. And nearly half of all handoffs, 48.9%, are a person carrying work from one tool to another. So, new tools have not yet changed the way of work.

Asked what's wrong with their work, people didn't say it was slow. They said they couldn't see clearly where their work is, from where necessary updates are being reported to where the latest drafts of key documents are filed. Complaints about visibility outnumbered complaints about speed 4.5 to 1.

What’s the Bill?

To come up with the cost, Ace Workflow isolated six companies and timed 187 real processes that produce 2,546 hours a week of ordinary work — who does it, in which tools, how long every step takes, stated by the people who do it. On average among timed companies, 424 hours of work a week produce 110 recoverable hours. Across a 46-week year at $100 an hour, that's $510,000 annually.

“The waste hides in handoffs, switching between apps as people who are drowning in tools struggle to do more with less,” said Tim Rodgers, founder and CEO of Ace Workflow. “AI’s biggest payoff isn’t performing tasks faster; it’s eliminating the waste that eats at corporate productivity and ultimately profit.”

To help, Rodgers’ new platform Ace Work has AI agents interview 100% of employees continuously. The result is a complete portrait of how work is getting done and a map of pressure points, compared instantaneously to the 128-company database. Ace Work then builds diagnostics and automations within a company’s existing toolkit.

Ace Work is the latest innovation for the three-year-old company, which has doubled every year by providing solutions to companies like Paramount and Airbnb. For example, Ace accelerated Airbnb’s verification system, increased Tishman Speyer applications by 300%, and saved 30-person Hollywood agency Maximum Effort 15 days/week in employee time.

Interestingly, Ace grew out of Rehab, an agency Rodgers created to leverage emerging technologies for such advertisers as Google and Nike. Once the team started building no-code workflows that could replicate three-month projects from engineering teams in one week with a single operator, Rodgers shuttered Rehab and opened Ace Workflow.

About Ace Workflow

Ace Workflow is an operational intelligence company. It finds the manual work draining client teams, rebuilds it inside their existing tools, and runs it. The model is services-as-software: high-touch delivery at software scale. The company has a team of 50+ across New York, LA, London, and Lisbon, and has delivered 311 projects for 100+ companies. Ace Workflow works with companies across agencies, media and entertainment, consumer brands, technology, real estate, and more. For more information, visit aceworkflow.io.

Media Contact

Fred Pfaff
fred@fredpfaffinc.com
+1 917-902-6883

WUHU, China, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Since July 2026, LEPAS, Chery Auto's all-new NEV brand, has launched three core models in Southeast Asia: the LEPAS L6 EV in Thailand, the LEPAS L8 PHEV at the Indonesia Brand Night, and the LEPAS L4 EV at the 2026 Indonesia International Auto Show with its official pricing announced. The three-model rollout marks steady progress for the brand while bringing more diverse green mobility options to Southeast Asian consumers.

As global NEV adoption continues to rise, LEPAS's accelerated rollout in Southeast Asia goes beyond a series of product launches, marking a new execution stage in its global NEV strategy. Building on this high-growth market, LEPAS is strengthening its NEV product and services to support further expansion across global markets.

As one of the fastest-growing NEV markets in the world, Southeast Asia is emerging as a key market for global NEV brands, driven by favorable policies and growing consumer demand. LEPAS's entry comes at a time when the region's energy transition is accelerating, driven by rapid urbanization, growing demand for alternatives to ICE vehicles, and rising consumer expectations toward higher-quality, more intelligent experiences. These trends are driving demand for greener NEV solutions better suited to local needs.

LEPAS addresses these needs with a localized NEV portfolio built around its Elegant Technology, covering multiple powertrains and diverse mobility scenarios. In addition to BEV and PHEV options, the lineup has been locally tuned for Southeast Asia's humid tropical climate, complex road conditions, and driving habits. This ensures that NEV technology truly serves people, effectively addressing real-world mobility needs and delivering an elegant driving experience.

As Southeast Asian markets tighten vehicle import policies and accelerate localization, conventional sales models alone can no longer meet evolving market requirements. Leveraging Chery Auto's global capabilities, LEPAS has established localized operations and compliance systems, and works closely with local partners across R&D and manufacturing, parts supply, sales and service, and the aftermarket. LEPAS is also supporting the development of charging networks, intelligent maintenance, and green industrial chain synergies — not only providing a replicable model for regional energy transition, but also creating long-term value by sharing the benefits of green mobility with Southeast Asia.

About LEPAS

LEPAS is Chery Auto’s mid-to-premium NEV brand, dedicated to creating elegant mobility experiences for users worldwide. Committed to becoming the Preferred Brand for Elegant Mobility Life, LEPAS brings together Leopard Aesthetics, Elegant Technology, and Exquisite Space — transforming elegance into a driving experience you can see, feel, and trust. Supported by a growing global dealer network of more than 500 sales and service outlets, LEPAS is expanding its international footprint through localized operations, delivering products and experiences tailored to users across global markets. For more information, visit lepasinternational.com.

About Chery Auto

Founded in 1997, Chery Auto is a global automotive manufacturer specializing in vehicle development, intelligent technologies, and new energy solutions. The company operates in more than 130 countries and regions, supported by a strong international network of research, production, and strategic partnerships. Chery Auto has remained China’s No. 1 passenger vehicle exporter among Chinese brands for 23 consecutive years. Guided by its global philosophy of "In somewhere, For somewhere, Be somewhere," Chery Auto is committed to advancing sustainable mobility through continuous innovation and global collaboration. 

Media Contact

Vincy Wang
LEPAS International
wangxi23@mychery.com

SACRAMENTO, CA, August 19, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- The California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) today announced the opening of a grant registration period for the Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit Program (EMR), running from August 19 through September 30, 2026. The program offers incentive payments to owners of older multi-unit apartment buildings required to retrofit under their city's mandatory soft-story ordinance, helping offset the cost of bringing these buildings into compliance.

EMR is available to qualifying wood-frame buildings with five to ten units, built before January 1, 1991, with a soft, weak, or open front (SWOF) seismic deficiency, where the building owner has received a notice and order from their city to retrofit under that city's mandatory ordinance. Eligible buildings must be located in one of 14 California cities that have adopted such ordinances: Albany, Berkeley, Mill Valley, Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose in Northern California; and Beverly Hills, Burbank, Culver City, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Torrance, and West Hollywood in Southern California.

Eligible building owners can receive an incentive payment covering 70% of engineering and permit fees, up to $7,000, along with 70% of retrofit construction costs, up to $4,260 per unit. In total, EMR provides earthquake retrofit grant assistance up to $49,600 for multi-family buildings. The EMR grant program is administered by CRMP, a Joint Powers Authority between the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).

"These grant programs help us protect vulnerable buildings, and those who live within them, from the near certainty of an earthquake," said Janiele Maffei, Chief Mitigation Officer, California Earthquake Authority. "Buildings that qualify for this grant are already required by law to retrofit under their city's ordinance. We are proud to be able to offer these funds to make those retrofits more affordable."

In addition to EMR, CRMP administers the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) and Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) grant programs. In 2025, CRMP provided grant funding for 6,811 retrofits.

"Earthquake retrofits create a safer and more resilient California," said Janiele Maffei, Chief Mitigation Officer, California Earthquake Authority. "Helping building owners afford the retrofits their cities already require means safer homes for thousands of California renters. Each retrofit brings us one step closer to a better-prepared California.”

Beginning August 19 and running through September 30, 2026, eligible building owners can register for a retrofit grant. To receive CRMP retrofit program email updates, such as registration information or when a program has expanded to a new area of California, sign up at crmp.org.

About California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP)

CRMP was established in 2011 to help Californians strengthen their homes against damage from earthquakes. CRMP is a joint powers authority created by the California Earthquake Authority and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. For more information, please visit crmp.org.

About Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR)

The CRMP Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR) program builds on the success of the Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) and Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) programs. While EBB and ESS focus on strengthening older single-family homes — typically built before 1980 — through the addition of anchor bolts and plywood to improve structural stability, EMR is designed specifically for multi-family buildings with five to ten units built before 1991. Learn further details about EMR's expansion in California.

Media Contact

Sheri Pierce
spierce@calquake.com
+1 279-203-1426

Patrick George
pgeorge@ka-pow.com
+1 916-202-1982

TAMPA, FL, August 18, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- DFCU Financial, originally founded as Ford Engineering Employees Federal Credit Union, has grown exponentially since its founding in 1950. Expanding its reach in Michigan markets like Bloomfield Township and White Lake Township through additional branches, and entering the Florida market with multiple mergers and acquisitions, the credit union is breaking into regions that specifically benefit from its services.

At DFCU Financial, success for one means success for all. As a cooperative financial services model, members of the credit union are also owners. The institution prioritizes the people and communities it serves rather than stockholders. 

“When we achieve financial success for our institution, we share that success with members,” says Ryan Goldberg, president and CEO. “Our loan portfolio is growing; our deposit portfolio is growing. Because of our high performance, we can control our own destiny. Whether through the incorporation of new technology, enhanced products and services, or new branches, our shared success model benefits everybody involved.”

One way DFCU Financial gives back is through comprehensive financial services that address consumer, business, and investment needs. The credit union meets people where they are, providing both convenient digital offerings and hyper-local brick-and-mortar branches. What’s most important, says Goldberg, is the confidence that comes from being able to make a choice.

“Some members may choose to do their banking through a digital channel 95% of the time, but they appreciate the peace of mind that comes with knowing that if a complex matter arises, they can speak with a professional in person,” says Goldberg. “This is especially true for entrepreneurs, who may need help navigating decisions like whether or not to buy a business.”

Investing in people is at the heart of DFCU Financial’s commitment to the communities it serves, supporting both members and non-members alike. The credit union invests heavily in financial education, helping individuals and families build stronger financial futures and bridge generational gaps to wealth. One way DFCU Financial delivers on that commitment is through free educational webinars covering topics such as budgeting, homeownership, retirement planning, and money management, many of which have introduced new members to the organization. DFCU Financial also partners with local schools to provide financial education initiatives that help students develop smart financial habits and confidence with money at an early age.

In 2006, DFCU Financial launched a Cash Back program that has put $511 million back in the pockets of its members. Offering $25 at the entry level all the way up to $10,000 annually, the program is different from others of its kind as it pays on deposits and loans, thereby rewarding not just savers but borrowers too.

These dividends make big differences in peoples’ lives. “Each year, we receive letters about how those dividends affect our members’ lives in some manner,” says Goldberg. “It’s helped students cover their books for a semester and helped others avoid accruing credit card debt over replacing a kitchen appliance. One member even shared that their Cash Back dividend paid entirely for a family cruise vacation. We love to give back to our members just like they’ve given to us.”

About DFCU Financial

DFCU Financial is a leading Michigan-based credit union founded in 1950. With more than 240,000 members and over $8 billion in assets, DFCU has 30 full-service branches in metro Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing, MI, as well as five in Tampa Bay area, one in Naples, FL and one in Ft. Myers, FL, and two in Central Florida (Winter Park and Longwood). Each location is staffed by local financial specialists uniquely qualified to help members and businesses achieve important financial milestones. DFCU offers a wide range of financial products and services, along with unique member benefits, including industry-leading Cash Back program. Recognized by Newsweek Magazine as one of America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions for 2026, DFCU Financial has earned additional recognition from Forbes and S&P Global Market Intelligence for its performance. The credit union’s Cash Back program has returned more than half a billion dollars to members over 20 years. For more information, visit www.dfcufinancial.com.

Disclaimer

Cash Back payments are subject to DFCU Financial’s eligibility requirements, program terms and conditions, and may vary based on an individual member’s qualifying accounts and activity. Past Cash Back payments and examples of member experiences are provided for informational purposes only and do not guarantee future payments or financial outcomes. Membership eligibility and other restrictions may apply.

Media Contact

Sarah Perez
SVP, Marketing Manager, DFCU Financial
Sarah.Perez@dfcufinancial.com
+1 813-925-5864

ENGLEWOOD, CO, August 18, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Founded in 1938 to serve employees of Public Service Company of Colorado (now part of Xcel Energy), Canvas Credit Union has grown to over $5 billion in assets with nearly 330,000 members and 725 employees. It now ranks as the third-largest credit union in Colorado and among the top 75 credit unions nationwide by asset size.

“We started with a shoebox and some cash and grew from there,” Chad Shane said, president and CEO of Canvas Credit Union. “We started by serving the underserved — people that banks often won’t serve — and that continues to this day. At Canvas, we want everyone to have access to quality banking.”

As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, Canvas offers the same products as banks but without being beholden to shareholders.

“Instead of sitting in meetings discussing returns to shareholders, our board and staff are focused on how best to serve our members and run the organization efficiently,” Shane added.

The Power of Working Together

Much of Canvas’ long-term success can be attributed to relationships with both members and business partners. For members, Canvas provides a broad range of products and services, from mortgages and auto loans — where it ranks among Colorado’s top auto lenders — to commercial lending, a relatively uncommon offering for credit unions. It also emphasizes accessible, in-person service.

“With 35 branches statewide, our members are assured they can walk in and talk to a human any time they’d like,” Shane said.

Schools are among Canvas’ most important community partners. Beyond supporting financial education in middle schools, high schools, and universities, Canvas aims to be a true partner to local institutions — not just in name, but in impact.

“At Colorado State University, our name is on the football stadium, but we also partner with students on case studies and help NIL student athletes with financial education,” Shane said.

Canvas recently established its first professional sports partnership with Denver Summit FC, a Denver-based women’s soccer team.

“Athletics are very important to the Colorado community, and we’re all about the community,” Shane said.

Beyond sports, Canvas supports first responder heroes including police officers, firefighters, and active and retired military.

“We help create awareness of what they do for the community,” Shane said. “We also financially support them whenever needed, especially families of fallen first responders.”

Community Support Pays Dividends

With nearly 330,000 members, Canvas leverages the strength of its deposits to support lending that helps drive local economic growth. And while the organization continues to invest in technology and compliance, it recognizes that community impact begins with its employees.

“We are all about people and culture,” Shane said. “If we take good care of employees, they take care of our members. Employees are not just numbers to us.”

Shane, who has been with the organization for almost 15 years, worked his way up from vice president of lending to chief lending officer before becoming CEO in 2024. The trajectory helped him understand the importance of managing relationships for the success of the organization.

“I’m a big believer in teamwork, collaboration, and doing things for the greater good,” Shane concluded. “I’m driven to help us be the best financial institution we can be.”

About Canvas Credit Union

Canvas Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative with over $5 billion in assets serving more than 330,000 members. Canvas provides a full array of financial products and services, including savings, checking, loans, mortgages, and online and mobile banking options. Serving Colorado communities for more than 87 years, Canvas currently has 35 branches and is well recognized for its people, its heart, and its commitment to community. For more information, visit canvas.org.

Media Contact

canvas@dovetailsolutions.com

MERIDIAN, ID, August 18, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Frontier Credit Union today announced the expansion of its total footprint to 16 branches across Idaho and Montana.The new locations mark a key milestone in the credit union’s purpose-driven growth strategy, bringing localized financial services and competitive rates to rural communities and cities, including several designated as underserved counties where Frontier stands as the sole financial institution.

Over 55,000 members across the region rely on Frontier Credit Union to navigate ongoing financial and affordability challenges.

“Life’s most vital goals — homeownership, starting a family, opening a business, or saving for retirement — seem unattainable for many,” said Dan Thurman, President and CEO of Frontier Credit Union. “Credit unions can help fill that gap: stimulating the local economy, delivering modern financial services at a lower cost, and championing organizations that make communities better places to live, work, and worship.”

Member-owned credit unions like Frontier operate as not-for-profit financial institutions led by local volunteer boards. Instead of distributing profits to stockholders, earnings are returned directly to the communities they serve through lower fees, reduced balance requirements, and competitive interest rates on loans, credit cards, and savings accounts.

Fiscally strong and stable, Frontier provides full-service financial solutions for consumers, businesses, municipalities, and organizations, alongside a full suite of online services as well as investment planning. But, unlike traditional banks, Frontier’s highest priority is member satisfaction. From day one, members enjoy over-the-top service, regardless of account size. 

“What we do is listen, understand our members’ needs, and work together to help them be in a better financial place than when they started,” says Tina Davis, Chief Marketing Officer of Frontier Credit Union. “That approach is rooted in relationships and community.”

Thurman notes that Frontier team members operate with a solution-oriented mindset inspired by the institution's history. “Following the legacy of our first CEO, Arlene Walker, who always found a way to overcome obstacles, we explore every option. When we can’t assist, we help members map out a plan to help them reach their goals.”

Purposeful Regional Growth

Frontier’s expansion into Butte and surrounding markets is designed to deliver targeted economic support to local communities. Rather than seeking a larger presence for its own sake, the credit union strategically enters areas where it can collaborate directly with civic leaders and local changemakers.

For example, prior to opening its branch in Driggs, Idaho, Frontier responded to a request from Mayor August Christensen by providing the city with a six-month, 0% loan to complete a municipal project expanding local daycare services.

“Our goal,” Thurman concluded, “is to be the best financial institution our communities can rely on.”

In 2026, Frontier Credit Union will contribute more than $100,000 and 1,500 volunteer hours to various nonprofit organizations. Through its CEI Visa® Spirit credit and debit card program, transaction revenue helps fund STEM education at the College of Eastern Idaho. Additionally, after awarding scholarships to 24 local students for the 4-H Know Your Government Conference in 2025, Frontier is awarding $17,000 in 4-H scholarships to students in 2026.

About Frontier Credit Union

Founded in 1935, Frontier Credit Union is a full-service, member-owned financial institution headquartered in Idaho Falls. With a mission to build better lives, Frontier serves thousands of members across Idaho and Montana through innovative financial solutions, community investment and education-focused initiatives. For more information, visit frontiercreditunion.com.

Media Contact

Tina Davis
Chief Marketing Officer
tdavis@frontiercreditunion.com

KEY WEST, FL, August 18, 2026 (EZ Newswire) -- Keys Federal Credit Union (Keys FCU) today announced that it now serves more than 18,000 members across the Florida Keys, marking a major milestone in the financial institution’s 85-year history. Headquartered in Key West, the credit union operates six branches connecting residents, local business owners, and military personnel from a wide range of occupations and backgrounds across the island chain.

Founded in 1940 by nine civil service employees at Naval Air Station Key West, Keys FCU has grown significantly from its military roots while maintaining its close base connection and expanding its reach to the broader community.

“We’re driven by the needs of our members,” said Maggie Sayer, CEO of Keys Federal Credit Union. “We’re all part of these communities, and we understand how important it is to be there when people need us. Our mission is to serve the people who make these islands their home. There is a lot of diversity in the Keys and each community has its own history here. We try to embody that diversity by hiring team members who speak a variety of languages and mirror our membership. We want the communities to understand that we’re here to serve them.”

Membership at the member-owned, not-for-profit credit union is open to anyone who lives or works in the Florida Keys and their immediate family members. Earnings are reinvested back to members in the form of better rates, fewer fees, and enhanced services.

Supporting the Community

As a Key West native, Sayer has experienced firsthand how closely connected the community can be during difficult times, having witnessed both the devastation caused by hurricanes and tropical storms as well as the supportive community response that follows.

“The Keys are not always an easy place to live,” Sayer said. “Our members know what it’s like to lose their cars because of a flood, or to have five feet of water in their homes after a hurricane. If you’re still here after you’ve been through a few of those experiences, you understand the value of community.”

Keys FCU has often played a direct role in these recovery efforts. Following Hurricane Irma, the credit union provided more than $7 million in unsecured loans to help residents recover.

“Other financial institutions might not make that same decision, but we did,” Sayer said. “That kind of community-based thinking is at the core of who we are. It informs everything, from how we serve our members to the types of loans we make.”

Empowering Local Small Businesses

This “locals helping locals” philosophy also shapes the credit union’s business banking approach. While there might be more profit in providing financing to investors looking to purchase short-term rental properties, Keys FCU focuses on supporting the region’s local small businesses.

“We’re focused on serving our members and providing products designed around them,” Sayer said. “If you’re a landscaper or a kayak tour company, what matters most to you? Things like cash-back checking, low minimum balance requirements, and convenient digital services like online bill pay and transfers. We’re offering the products that work for the businesses in our community.”

About Keys Federal Credit Union

Founded by local residents in 1940, Keys Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution serving those who live or work in the Florida Keys, their families and the local military community. With six branches throughout the Keys and a local volunteer board of directors, Keys FCU provides personal and business financial services while investing in financial education and the communities it serves. Guided by its longstanding mission of “Locals Helping Locals,” the credit union remains focused on helping members save money, build wealth and achieve their financial goals. For more information, visit www.keysfcu.org.

Media Contact

Robin Anson
Marketing Director
robin.anson@keysfcu.org